WIRING, SPECIFICATIONS, INSPECTION,
AND METER INSTALLATION PROCEDURES
FOR
RESIDENTIAL CUSTOMERS
SERVED BY
SOUTHWEST ARKANSAS ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE CORPORATION
Effective April 1, 1974
Revised February 3, 2014
(Condensed from National Electric Code)
This condensed version of residential wiring specifications has been prepared and
adopted by the Cooperative for the following purposes:
To assist customers of the Cooperative in securing electrical service wiring to their
homes and elsewhere on their premises which will meet recognized safety standards,
and which will provide adequate capacity for their present and future load
requirements.
To assure customers of the Cooperative of reliable and economical service from the
electrical wiring system installed on source side of the meter.
To establish standard residential meter wiring specifications for use by customers of
the Cooperative, electricians and wiring inspectors.
In general, inspection and testing of the electric wiring installation by the Cooperative
will include and will be limited to the following:
Service and construction personnel will inspect meter loops (and associated wiring)
mounted on residences up to the first secondary thermal disconnect or main breaker
(whether located inside or outside the residence). Pole mounted meter loops and
associated wiring will continue to be inspected down to ground level.
Test for proper voltage delivered to the main disconnect circuit-breaker at the service
entrance. The customer and the electrician are responsible for making necessary
voltage tests to assure that adequate capacity is provided and that proper voltages are
delivered to lighting fixtures, appliances, and equipment installed in the residence and
elsewhere on the premises of the customer.
The wiring inspection will assure that recognized safety standards have been met and that
the electrical wiring system has adequate capacity. Voltage and capacity characteristics within
the wiring system on the customer's side of the main disconnect circuit-breaker at the service
entrance are the responsibility of the customer and the electrician.
The minimum standards of the NEC shall apply where wiring material and installation
requirements are not specifically covered by these specifications.
Wiring specifications, inspection, and meter installation procedures for residential
customers served by the Cooperative are as follows:
Section A. - Meter Installation Specifications:
 
1. The meter shall, in all cases, be installed by the Cooperative and ownership of the
meter shall be retained by the Cooperative.
2. The meter shall be installed on the exterior surface of the building wall or on a pole.
Cooperative personnel shall have unimpeded access to the meter at all times.
3. The meter shall be installed so that the center of the meter is at least 5 feet but not
more than 6 feet above ground level.
4. A meter socket intended for installation on the wall of a building or on a pole shall be
furnished by the customer. Ownership of the meter socket shall be retained by the
customer. It shall be the responsibility of the customer to maintain said meter socket
in good working order. The meter socket shall be of a type and design which meets
Cooperative approval.
Section B. - Service Entrance Specifications:
 
1. The service entrance shall be furnished, owned, and maintained by the customer. The
service entrance on a house or other building shall be constructed as a meter loop
where no separate meter loop is provided. A typical house meter loop for overhead
service is shown in Exhibit A.
2. The service entrance shall have a minimum capacity of 60 amperes, 120/240 volts.
The service entrance should be of adequate capacity to carry the total residential load
as determined for load calculation recommendations in the NEC, including capacity
for anticipated future loads.
3. Conduit used to construct the service entrance for overhead service shall be of rigid
design; and may be galvanized steel or aluminum. EMT or IMC is NOT permitted.
Conduit which extends through the roof as a service mast shall be as least 2 1/2 " rigid
galvanized steel, and shall extend to a height of between 2'-6" and 3'-0" above the roof
at the point of emergence. For underground service, conduit shall extend from the
meter socket to a point 18 inches below ground level with an insulating bushing
installed on the top end. Said conduit shall be 2" pipe size or larger and shall be
constructed of either galvanized rigid steel or PVC, "schedule 80".
4. Conductors installed in service entrance conduit shall not exceed the maximum
number for conduit sizes shown in Table I.
5. Service entrance conductors for overhead service shall be installed in conduit. At least
18 inches of the conductors shall extend through the weatherhead for the service
connection. The weatherhead shall be installed near the eave of the building with the
bottom of the drip loop at least 12 feet above ground level. For underground service, a
continuous and unbroken underground service cable shall be installed by the
Cooperative from the meter socket lugs or from an outside junction box as specified in
Table III to the service pedestal or transformer; and in the event the meter loop is
located on a pole, the underground service cable to the service entrance shall be
furnished and installed by the customer. Trenches for installing underground service
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
cables from the pole meter loop shall be furnished and backfilled by the customer in
accordance with NEC codes.
Conductors in the service entrance, other than the underground service cable, shall be
stranded wire; may be either copper or aluminum; shall be covered with type TW or
THW or better insulation; and shall be properly sized as shown in Table II for the
service entrance capacity required. For service entrance capacity in excess of 200
amps, follow ampere rating of conductors in the NEC.
Overcurrent protection shall be circuit-breaker type. Main-circuit panels or main
circuit-breakers shall be located within 18 inches of the meter socket or outside
junction box. The ampere rating of the main disconnect circuit breaker shall not
exceed the amperage rating of the service entrance conductors installed to the maincircuit panel as shown in Table II.
Ground wire shall be at least #6 AWG solid copper, shall be bonded to the neutral
wire at the weatherhead for overhead service, and shall extend continuously and
unbroken outside the conduit to the ground rod with bonding to the meter base and any
other electrical panels attached thereto; except when a service mast extends through
the roof, the ground wire may be run through the meter socket and inside the conduit.
For underground service, the ground wire shall be connected to the neutral lug of the
meter socket and extend continuously and unbroken outside the conduit to the ground
rod. For overhead or underground service, the ground wire shall be attached to the
ground rod with a proper type clamp.
The ground rod shall be a minimum size 5/8" X 8' solid galvanized steel or
copperweld ground rod.
Service entrance outlet receptacles for mobile homes shall be grounded and polarized
in accordance with NEC standards.
Section C. - Pole Meter Loop Specifications:
 
1. The pole meter loop, except for the meter, shall be furnished, owned and maintained
by the customer. The permanent meter loop shall be completely wired and assembled
by the customer or electrician for installation by the Cooperative on a pole furnished
and installed by the Cooperative. A typical pole meter loop for overhead service is
shown in Exhibit B, and a typical meter loop for underground service is shown in
Exhibit D. Poles and meter loops for temporary overhead and underground service
shall be furnished and installed by the customer at locations approved by the
Cooperative. Temporary poles and meter loops shall conform to the specifications set
forth in Section I.
2. The pole meter loop shall have a minimum capacity of 60 amperes, 120/240 volts for
the residential load to be served, with additional capacity for other loads to be
connected to the pole meter loop. Use load calculation recommendations in the NEC
to determine total meter loop capacity.
3. Conduit shall be used to construct the pole meter loop and shall be of rigid galvanized
steel or aluminum design; EMT, IMC or PVC is NOT permitted. Conduit shall
extend to a height of 15'-0" (minimum) above the meter socket hub to the weatherhead
for overhead service. For underground service, either rigid galvanized steel or PVC
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
schedule 80 conduit shall be installed from the meter socket to 18 inches below
ground level with an insulating bushing installed on the top threaded connector.
Conductors installed in the pole meter loop conduit shall not exceed the maximum
number for conduit sizes shown in Table I.
Conductors shall extend at least 18 inches through the weatherhead for overhead
service. For underground service, a continuous and unbroken underground service
cable shall be installed by the Cooperative from the meter socket lugs to the service
pedestal or transformer. Underground service cables from the pole meter loop to the
service entrance shall be furnished and installed by the customer. Trenches for
installing underground service cables shall be furnished and backfilled by the
customer in accordance with NEC codes.
Conductors in pole meter loops shall conform with size and type specified for service
entrances, and shall be sized in accordance with Table II. RETURN LOOPS ARE
NOT PERMITTED.
A circuit-breaker type main disconnect shall be installed under the meter socket in a
rain-type enclosure in accordance with NEC standards. The capacity of the main
disconnect circuit-breaker shall be adequate for the total connected load; but shall not
exceed the amperage rating of the pole meter loop conductors in accordance with
Table II.
Ground wire pigtails (as shown in Exhibit B) shall be at least #6 AWG solid copper,
shall connect at the grounding lug in the meter base and the grounding buss in any
electrical disconnect enclosures, extending 2 feet for bonding to pole ground when
attached to pole.
The pole ground and ground rod shall be furnished and installed by the Cooperative.
All 120V AC receptacles installed on pole meter loops shall be equipped with ground
fault circuit interrupter (GFCI) protection.
Section D. - Specifications Which Exceed NEC Minimum Standards:
Conductor size in service entrances and meter loops shall comply with standard
amperage rating of conductor sizes shown in Table II, and may not be reduced as
permitted in the NEC.
2. Ground wire at house meter loop shall extend to weatherhead with appropriate
bonding at meter base and electrical panels.
3. First overcurrent protection device shall be circuit-breaker type.
1.
Section E. - Wiring Specifications Other than Residential:
Specifications for service entrances and meter loops on non-residential installations
shall be essentially the same as for residential customers.
2. Other electrical wiring in non-residential installations shall conform to NEC minimum
standards.
3. Service entrance and meter loops on non-residential installations shall be inspected by
the Cooperative up to the point of the first thermal disconnect.
1.
Section F. - Construction Meter Loop, Temporary:
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
Facilities which are constructed, owned and operated by the Cooperative will be
permanently installed. The Cooperative does not build temporary facilities except at
the request and expense of the customer.
Service will be extended to a customer's temporary construction meter loop and pole
provided they are erected at a location accessible to permanently installed Cooperative
facilities and provided they conform to the following specifications:
The provisions of Section C. - "Pole Meter Loop Specifications" shall apply except
that where there is a conflict, the following provisions shall prevail.
The cross section dimension of the temporary pole shall be a minimum 4' X 4'.
Bracing shall be 2' X 4' or larger.
The pole and all bracing shall be commercially treated with an acceptable
preservative.
The pole shall be installed to a depth of at least 2'-0" below ground level and shall be
braced as shown in Exhibit C. If the pole is not braced then it shall be installed to a
depth, below ground level, equal to one-fourth its overall length.
The weatherhead shall be at least 12'-0" above ground level and the pole shall extend
to a height of at least 1'-0" above the weatherhead.
Conductors for connection from the temporary loop to a pad mounted or underground
transformer shall be furnished by the customer and shall be installed in accordance
with provisions of the National Electrical Code.
The ground rod shall be a minimum size 5/8" X 8' solid, galvanized steel or
copperweld rod, and shall be driven full length into the ground.
Ground wire shall be at least #6 AWG solid copper, shall connect at the neutral wire at
the weatherhead and shall extend continuously and unbroken outside the conduit to the
ground rod with bonding to the meter base and any other electrical panels attached
thereto. The ground wire shall be attached to the ground rod with the proper type
clamp.
All 120 volt AC receptacles installed on pole meter loops shall be equipped with
ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI) protection.
Typical 200 amp Meter Pedestal
(underground source)
Electricians!!:
Always contact and discuss your
installation plans with the
engineer assigned to the job
before installing your service
entrance. They will be able to
give you the required
specifications and discuss site
specific conditions and
alternatives.
Notes:
1.
It is the responsibility
of the customer to obtain all
necessary permits and
inspections.
2.
Conduits must be
routed according to the
engineer’s instructions before
concrete backfill is poured.
3.
24” sweeping elbows
and 2” sch. 80 PVC electrical
conduits as shown is to be
provided by
customer.
4.
All construction shall
be of workmanlike quality and
durability and meet all
applicable electrical codes.
This drawing and
instructions are intended to
present one possible alternative
for a typical 200 amp meter
pedestal installation. Other
construction methods including
prefabricated units are available.
Dimensions will vary for
customers requiring larger
amperages.
Please call ArkansasOne-Call at 1-800-482-8998 or
Texas 811 or for Oklahoma
residents 1-800-522-6543 before
digging to have other buried
facilities located before digging.